Slide-bar assembly having complementary slidable members

ABSTRACT

A slide-bar assembly including an elongated hollow female member of substantially rectangular cross section and a slot extending longitudinally along one face and two rows of coupling studs extending outwardly of the opposite face, and an elongated male member adapted for slideable mounting within the female member and provided on one face thereof with a longitudinal rib adapted to protrude outwardly of the slot in the female member when so mounted.

O Umted States Patent 1151 3,640,01 7 Christiansen 1 Feb. 8, 1972 [54] SLIDE-BAR ASSEMBLY HAVING 1,281,856 10/1918 Shaw ..46/29 COMPLEMENTARY SLIDABLE 5,992 1/1935 Hayman. .....46/26 MEMBERS 2,028,229 1/1936 Luhn ..46/26 2,940,211 6/1960 Kelley ....46/25 X 2] In fl -m n. Bil 3,076,286 2/1963 Czecholinski ..46/26 x Denmar l E x [73] Assignee: AIS Modulex, Billund, Denmark FORE GN PAT NTS OR APPLICATIONS 422,059 6/ 1947 Italy ..46/ 16 [221 1969 29,536 3/1963 East Germany ..46/25 [21] Appl. No.: 796,065

Primary Examiner-F. Barry Shay 30] Foreign Application Priority Data Attorney-Stevens, Davis, Miller & Mosher Feb. 1,1968 Denmark ..NR 42822 A C 1 A slide-bar assembly including an elongatedhollow female ..46/23, member of substantially rectangular cross section and a Slot [58] Field I 16 l7 19 extending longitudinally along one face and two rows of 6 coupling studs extending outwardly of the opposite face, and

an elongated male member adapted for slideable mounting within the female member and provided on one face thereof [56] References Cited with a longitudinal rib adapted to protrude outwardly of the UNITED STATES PATENTS slot in the female member when so mounted.

3,228,137 1/1966 Runser ..46/19 X 2Claims, IODrawing Figures PATENTED FEB 81972 3,640,017

sum 1 or 2 5/ (WI (3n I v GODTFRIED K. CHRISTIANSEN ATTORNEYS PATENTED FED am:

FIG.4

INVENTOR GODTFRIED K.CHRISTIANSEN ATTORNEYS SLIDE-BAR ASSEMBLY HAVHNG COMPLEMENTARY SLIDABLE MEMBERS This invention relates to means for slideably suspending flat objects from an associated support. More particularly, the invention is an assembly of slideably interconnected bars adapted for use in conjunction with construction sets or kits characterized by components which are adapted for assembly by frictional and clamping engagement of cooperating portions of two or more such components as described in US. Pat. Nos. 3,005,282 and 3,162,973.

While such building sets are principally used as children s toys, they are also adapted for the making of three-dimensional models to supplement architectural and engineering drawings and other business or professional applications, such as statistical tables and charts. In this latter usage, the baseplates are mounted vertically, serving as wall boards. In making a bar chart, for example, blocks of a given size, each representing a predetermined number of units, such as dollars, or other value, would be placed upon the baseplate in clamping engagement with the coupling studs or primary projections.

In addition to blocks which are fixed in position, it is desirable to attach to such plates other components which likewise are firmly yet detachably affixed thereto by frictional clamping engagement between cooperating portions of the plate and other component.

It is an object of the invention, accordingly, to provide a slide-bar assembly which may be removably attached in a predetermined position to such vertically disposed baseplates and which, in the horizontal position, serve as supports for drawings, maps and other sheet material, so as to provide for the displacement thereof in a transverse direction relative to the plate.

The characteristic features of the invention and the particular uses and advantages thereof will now be described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a base or mounting plate for holding the slide-bar assembly according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of a first element of theslide-bar assembly on a larger scale than for FIG. 1;

FIGS. 3 and 4 are, respectively, a bottom view and side elevation of the first element shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a cross section, along the line 5-5 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of a second element of the bar assembly;

FIGS. 7 and 8 are, respectively, a bottom plan view and a side elevation of the second element shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view along line 99 of FIG. 6; and

FIG. 10 is a sectional view of the sliding mount as assembled and in use to support a flexible sheet according to the inventron.

Referring in detail to the drawings, support or base plate 1 is a rectangular, relatively thin, flat sheet 11 provided with a plurality of primary projections or studs 12, which are arranged in a rectangular pattern of parallel rows. The rows contain like numbers of projections, with the spacing between each pair of projections in a row being the same as the spacing between adjoining rows of projections, so that any two pairs of studs define a square. The height of each stud is equal to the distance between the edges of each pair of studs but may be greater, if desired.

Plate 1, for ease and economy of fabrication preferably is made by injection molding a thermoplastic resin such as nylon or polyethylene, but may be formed of metal or other solid material of the requisite strength and rigidity, if desired.

Basically, the bar assembly, according to the invention, comprises two main elements: a guide bar, or female member 3, having a cavity extending lengthwise thereof and a slidebar, or male member 2, adapted to be telescopically assembled within the cavity of the guide bar so as to be slideable therein.

The slide-bar 2, as shown in FIGS. 2 to S, is characterized by a rib 21 projecting from the upper face 22 and disposed along the longitudinal axis thereof, and an enlarged base portion 23, 25, 26. The height and width of the rib 21 correspond to the height and spacing of the projections 12 of the support plate 1. The base portion, 23, 25, 26, in turn, corresponds in dimension and configuration to the cavity of guide-bar 3, as ex plained hereinafter and may, if desired, be provided with a relatively narrow and shallow slot 28 extending longitudinally thereof on face 26.

The guide-bar, or female element 3, is illustrated in FIGS. 6 to 9. As shown in FIG. 6, it is provided with two rows of projections 12 extending longitudinally thereof on the closed top face 31. These projections are of the same size and spacing as the projections 12 on the mounting plate 1, and preferably of the same shape. Element 3, as shown more particularly in FIG. 9, is substantially a hollow rectangle, the cavity 33 conforming in shape and size to the enlarged base portion 23 of element 2, with a longitudinal opening or slot 34 in the lower face 32, the width conforming to the intermediate portion 24 of element 2, whereby in assembly of the device, the base 23 of male element 2 is slideably inserted within the cavity 33 of element 3, the interrelation of the corresponding faces of these elements indicated by like digits, thus 23-33, 2434, 25-35 and 2636, with rib 21 protruding outwardly and beyond slot 34.

Because of the size and spacing of the projections or coupling studs 12, 12 on the face 31 of element 3 and the size and configuration of rib 21 on face 22 of element 2, these elements may also be interconnected in fixed coupling when rib 21 of element 2 is pressed between the two rows of projections 12 on element 3, in frictional engagement therewith. Thus slide-bar 2 is adapted to perform several functions:

a. it provides for a slideable engagement with the guide-bar b. it serves as a coupling member for detachably interconnecting the two bars in a fixed or nonslideable relationship;

c. it also serves to detachably mount the assembly upon the baseplate. I

The function of the slide-bar assembly according to the invention may now be briefly summarized as follows:

A series of drawings or other sheet members 41 to be suspended on a wall slideably relatively thereto are attached along one edge to a slide-bar 2a, by inserting a bent over edge of the sheets into the lengthwise slit 28a as shown in FIG. 10. A baseplate 1 provided with coupling studs 12 is permanently attached to a wall or vertical partition, not shown.

The first step comprises mounting a second slide-bar 2b slideably within a guide-bar 3. Next, the rib 21b of the slidebar 2b is clamped between two rows of studs 12 of plate 1 so as to extend in a horizontal position thereon. The first slide-bar 2a bearing the sheets for display is then connected to the outer face of the guide bar 3 by inserting the rib 21a between the two parallel rows of studs 12 on the exposed face 31 of the guide bar.

While this first slide-bar 2a is thus rigidly connected to guide-bar 3, the latter is movable longitudinally along the second slide-bar 2b as previously explained, and the sheet material is thus slideably suspended on the wall through the coacting elements 1, 2b, 3 and 2a. In this manner, the sheet 41 is suspended at the desired position on the plate and may be shifted laterally by sliding the element 3 with the attached first element 2a, along the second element 2b, fixedly mounted on the baseplate 1, as shown in FIG. 10.

Iclaim:

1. A slide-bar assembly comprising a female member of substantially rectangular cross section and having walls defining a cavity, each of said walls having an outer face defining part of said cross section and an inner face bounding part of said cavity, an exterior longitudinal slot in one said wall communicating with said cavity, and a pair of parallel rows of coupling studs at the outer face of the opposite wall of said member; a male member of a size and shape adapted to be slidably mounted within the cavity of said female member in slidable slidably mounted within the cavity of said female guide member, said first male slide-rail having a lengthwise extending rib extending between the rows of said pair of rows of said female member, said rib having a width which is substantially equal to the distance between the pair of rows at the outer face of said female guide member. 

1. A slide-bar assembly comprising a female member of substantially rectangular cross section and having walls defining a cavity, each of said walls having an outer face defining part of said cross section and an inner face bounding part of said cavity, an exterior longitudinal slot in one said wall communicating with said cavity, and a pair of parallel rows of coupling studs at the outer face of the opposite wall of said member; a male member of a size and shape adapted to be slidably mounted within the cavity of said female member in slidable contact with said inner face, said male member being provided with a lengthwise extending rib extending through said slot, said rib having a width which is substantially equal to the distance between the pair of rows at the outer face of said female member.
 2. A slide-bar assembly according to claim 1, comprising a first male slide-rail mounted along one edge of a flat object and said male member comprising a second male slide-rail slidably mounted within the cavity of said female guide member, said first male slide-rail having a lengthwise extending rib extending between the rows of said pair of rows of said female member, said rib having a width which is substantially equal to the distance between the pair of rows at the outer face of said female guide member. 